The Heart Won't Lie
by aglowingstar
Summary: Sequel to All for the Best. If you haven't read that one yet, go do that then come back to read this one! SSxHG [oneshot semi songfic] Please review!


**A/N: I know I said "All for the Best" was going to be a one-shot, but when Staci suggested I do a sequel, it sounded like fun! I decided to do it in semi songfic form like I did the first one. So here it is! I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I own "The Heart Won't Lie." They belong to J.K. Rowling and Reba McEntire respectively. **

**The Heart Won't Lie**

_Looking back over the years_

_Of all the things I've always meant to say_

_But the words didn't come easily_

_So many times through empty fears_

_Of all the nights I tried to pick up the phone_

_So scared of who might be answering_

It had been about four months since Severus had broken Hermione's heart on that cold night on the first of February. She had spent every day since longing for the touch of his fingers on her skin. There wasn't an hour that passed that she didn't think of him. Harry and Ron knew she was hurting, and they tried to cheer her up in every way possible. They brought her gifts from Hogsmeade when she didn't feel up to going with them, they showed her pranks that Fred and George had cooked up at the joke shop, they even told her they'd kill Snape for her (and make it painful). That last one had made her smile, but only for an instant, until she remembered how she would feel if he were _completely_ gone.

Potions lesson was the part of her day she could look forward to. Somehow, no one but Harry, Ron, and Ginny had managed to find out about the relationship between her and Snape, so of course no one knew about their breakup. Potions was the one time of day she could get away with looking at Severus without seeming obvious.

Yes, the past four months had been agony. So many times she had wanted to knock on Severus's door after class and throw herself into his arms. But she knew she couldn't. He had left her. It was his decision. But with the whole of her soul she wanted to hear his deep voice in her ear, telling her he loved her. Occasionally, she wondered if he had found someone else. But there was a certain gleam in his eye when he caught her glance that told her he hadn't. She still had a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

And the end of the tunnel was quickly approaching. It was the middle of May; commencement was approaching rapidly. Hermione had passed all her N.E.W.T. exams with flying colors, as everyone knew she would, and she was the top of their class. All the professors were immensely proud of her, but not one was more proud than Severus Snape.

He had always known she was brilliant; that was one of the things that attracted him to her in the first place. Every day she came to his classroom was pure torture. He wanted nothing more than to stop drawling on about bezoars and wormwood, rush up to her and swoop her in his arms. Every moment of his every day was consumed by thoughts of her. Her scent, her hair, her kiss, her love. He didn't know what he had been thinking about when he left her. She had probably forgotten about him by now. But in the back of his mind, he knew she was watching him with another motive besides attentiveness.

Graduation was a week away. He knew what he had to do.

**/\/\/\**

At dinner the night before graduation, he found himself watching her from the head table. She was sitting across from Ginny and Harry, and in between Neville and Weasley. She was talking with her friends, but didn't look as happy as she had been five months ago. She was so beautiful; he didn't know what he would do if he lost her forever.

"Severus? Are you quite alright?" A sharp voice broke through his thoughts. He snapped out of his trance and looked to his left at Professor McGonagall.

"What? Oh, yes, Minerva, I'm fine," he said softly, lifting his glass of pumpkin juice to his lips.

"What was so interesting over at the Gryffindor table? Don't tell me you're just waiting for Potter to do something questionable so that you can take points away. They're about to graduate for Merlin's sake," she said jokingly. The corner of Severus's mouth turned up into a halfhearted grin as he looked back at Hermione.

"No, Minerva, that's not it. I was just—" he cut himself off, not wanting to say too much. But just then, Hermione stole a furtive glance at Severus. His breath caught and he made an audible noise from his throat.

McGonagall put one hand over her mouth and the other on Snape's forearm.

"Severus. Were you—watching Miss Granger?" she breathed into his ear. He swallowed and turned to face her, knowing his face would tell her the answer. She squeezed his arm gently and said nothing. The twinkle in her eyes said it all.

Severus turned his head to face Hermione, who was still watching him. He smiled subtly, knowing she would catch it. She looked surprised but immensely pleased.

_You try to live your life from day to day_

_But seeing you across the room tonight_

_Just gives me away_

McGonagall said nothing. After all, she wasn't daft. She had known all along. And with graduation approaching, she knew Hermione and Severus could finally be together without fear of public humiliation. That's why she never said anything; she loved them both far too much to subject them to such horror. If she hadn't known that Hermione was such a smart girl and that Severus was a good man, she would have told Dumbledore in an instant. But these were special circumstances. Minerva knew true love when she saw it.

And seeing Severus and Hermione lock eyes across the room that night, she knew she had made the right decision.

Right after his exchange with McGonagall, Snape excused himself from dinner, making sure Hermione saw him leave the table. He stayed right outside the doorway, and saw Hermione tell Ron and Harry she would see them in the common room. He stepped farther into the hall and pretended to be heading to the dungeons.

"Professor Snape!" she called, jogging to catch up with him.

He turned at the sound of her voice. "Miss Granger. Retiring from dinner early, I see?" he said, looking down at her, feigning curtness.

"Sev, drop the act, there's no one around," she said quietly. He smiled at the use of his nickname. He hadn't heard it from her mouth in way too long.

"Very well, Hermione. Graduation is tomorrow," he said, looking into her eyes.

"I know. I'm very relieved and excited," she said breathily, hoping he would catch her drift.

"I am very proud of you, Hermione. I want you to know that," he replied sincerely, putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked at his hand, then back into his face.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, not daring to move. The touch of his hand was almost too much for her to handle.

He didn't move his hand; he had been waiting months to touch her again.

_'Cause the heart won't lie_

_Sometimes life gets in the way_

_But there's one thing that won't change_

_I know, I've tried_

_The heart won't lie_

_You can live your alibi_

_Who can see you're lost inside_

_A foolish disguise?_

_The heart won't lie_

The urge to lean down and kiss her was clawing at his heart. _No, Severus. You didn't break her heart in vain. She is still your student_. He removed his hand from her shoulder slowly, brushing her arm with his long fingers as he did so. She shivered under his touch.

"Well, Miss Granger, I must retire. I will see you tomorrow at the ceremony," he said quickly.

"Yes, Professor. Tomorrow," she emphasized the last word.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Professor," she said softly, and turned to go to the common room.

Severus headed the opposite direction to the dungeons, hardly able to contain his anxious thoughts.

**/\/\/\**

The Great Hall was decorated with symbols of all four houses. All of the students not graduating sat in the audience, facing a large stage with Dumbledore's podium perched on the right side. The heads of house were standing in various places, all with a specific job to do. Dumbledore was of course reading the names of the graduates. Professor Sprout was helping the students onto the stage, making sure they all went to the right place; Professor McGonagall was handing the diplomas to the students as Professor Flitwick levitated them toward her hand. Severus was standing at the end of the stage past Dumbledore, shaking each student's hand as they left the stage.

The ceremony began promptly at 7:00 pm. The graduating students filed into the Great Hall and took their seats directly in front of the stage. Line by line they came up to the stage, ready to cross that line and become Hogwarts graduates. Harry and Ron were of course right next to each other, and when they shook Snape's hand, it wasn't a cold exchange. They realized that he was truly on their side and they were thankful for all the things he had done for them. But Severus was not waiting for Ron and Harry's handshakes. He didn't even care about Draco's. He wasn't waiting to see their faces climb the stairs opposite him.

As top of the class, Hermione was last to receive her diploma, because she was to make a speech. Severus couldn't help but notice how beautiful and mature she looked as she made her way to the podium right next to him. She was in black dress robes with her curly hair falling in ringlets over her shoulders. Her makeup was subtle, and only made her striking features stand out more. She stepped behind the podium and took a nervous sigh. He couldn't help but smile. _God, I hope she will take me back._

_Long after tonight_

_Will you still hear my voice through the radio_

_Old desires make us act carelessly_

_Long after tonight, after the fire_

_After the scattered ashes fly_

_Through the four winds blown and gone_

_Will you come back to me?_

"Good evening, fellow students, faculty, and family. When I was told I was valedictorian and I would have to make a speech, I have to admit I was a little nervous. Yes, I can fight Voldemort but can be nervous about a simple speech," laughter rippled through the crowd at those words, "But I guess that's because I truly care about each and every person in this room. I want to make all of you proud, because God knows you have all made me proud. We've all been through much this past year, and it took every person in this room to make things right again. My years at Hogwarts have been so much more than I ever dreamed. I've met the best friends of my life," at this, she glanced down at Harry and Ron, and a tear fell onto her cheek. Harry smiled and Ron nodded gently. "I've also made some new friends," she said, glancing at Draco. Draco nodded in recognition of her words. "My fellow Gryffindors have served as a wealth of support and inspiration for me over the years." She took a deep breath. "But where would I be without the faculty? You are all brilliant, and I know none of the people in this room would know as much as they do today without you all," she said, and glanced down at Hagrid as she heard him blow his nose into his pink handkerchief. She smiled. "I've learned more than you can imagine from you all, and not just about magic," she said, her voice cracking. Severus felt his eyes brim with tears. "I've learned how to appreciate knowledge, how to make wise choices, and how to truly lov—learn," she almost burst into tears at her slip of tongue, but no one really seemed to notice. No one besides Severus.

_You try to live your life from day to day_

_But seeing you across the room tonight_

_Just gives me away_

She controlled her tears as she drew her speech to a close. "Being magical isn't just about spells and wands. It's about having a special gift that no one can ever take away. And Hogwarts has proven that to me. No one can _ever _take away our talent. If you all remember that, you'll never fail." Hermione swallowed and smiled as applause erupted over the Great Hall. She looked at Dumbledore and swore she saw a single tear falling down his cheek. She realized her own cheeks were wet with tears. She picked her diploma up off the podium and came to face Severus. He gripped her right hand in his, the hand he had touched so many times. She looked deep into his eyes, and as she shook his hand, she felt a piece of parchment scrape against her palm. She looked at him quizzically, but he just nodded and said, "Congratulations, Miss Granger." She smiled and let him help her down the stairs. When she reached her seat, she looked down at the piece of parchment in her hand.

_Meet me at the tree by the lake._

_--Severus_

She looked up at him and smiled.

/\/\/\

After the many hugs, handshakes, and well wishes, she found a moment to go outside. She ran down the stairs, her hair flying after her. She could see Snape's outline under the tree, looking out onto the water. As she neared him, she slowed down, smoothing her hair and robes.

_'Cause the heart won't lie_

_Sometimes life gets in the way_

"Severus," she said simply, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Hermione. You look beautiful," the words poured out of his mouth; he'd been dying to tell her all night.

"Thank you, Severus," her cheeks turned pink, "what does this… mean?" she asked, hoping against hope.

_But there's one thing that won't change_

_I know, I've tried_

"Well, as it is, you are no longer my student. I believe that is a diploma of graduation in your pocket, isn't it?" he asked, gesturing at the rolled up piece of paper sticking out of her pocket. She grinned.

"Why, yes, I guess it is," she said, her heart fluttering.

"I didn't forget, Hermione," he said, stepping closer to her.

"Forget what, Severus?" she said, pressing her body to his.

_The heart won't lie_

_You can live your alibi_

_Who can see you're lost inside_

_A foolish disguise?_

"The promise I made you. I promised I would never forget what we had together, and I haven't," he placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing her face with the pad of his thumb. Hermione all but melted under his touch.

"Severus, you have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that. These last four months have been misery without you," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his body relaxing for the first time in what felt like years. He was with her. Holding her again.

"Hermione, I love you. I am sorry I had to break your heart. But don't you see? Now we can be together without fear of punishment. But you should know, I've loved you all along. Always," he whispered in her ear. She pulled away to look at his face.

"You did break my heart. But it's all worth it to feel you put it back together," she replied, looking up into his eyes of ebony, "and I love you too."

Severus smiled and leaned in to kiss her with all the passion he had ever felt in his life.

She was his again, and he was hers.

The world was right again.

_The heart won't lie._

**fin**

**How'd you like it? Thanks, Staci, for inspiring me to write it! Please, please review! Love love! **

**-r**


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